Does Valduggery survive?
by attaliared
Summary: What happened if Val was close to death and got sent to the past? Will Skulduggery have a breakdown? Will the young Skulduggery fall for her? No war set after the last book. My first fanfic. Rated K for now.
1. Chapter 1

"Hey Skul, how are you?" Valkyrie asked smugly as she walked to the window.

"Annoyed. You have been sitting on the bed watching me for the past hour. It's very uncomfortable on this window ledge, and may I please remind you this is my house!" Skulduggery whined, shifting his weight to his other leg. Valkyrie wandered over, her smug smile turning into a smirk and then a laugh.

"OMG, I totally forgot!" Valkyrie giggled.

"What? What did you forget?" Skulduggery questioned, scared by Valkyrie's laughing.

"The window opens outwards!" Valkyrie screeched as she pushed the window open and grabbing Skulduggery's hat. She looked down to see Skulduggery floating a metre of the ground just as Tanith's bike stopped in front of him.

"Jesus Skeletons! I almost hit you!" Tanith screamed, dismounting and looking for Valkyrie. "Val? Where are you?"

"Up here, Tan. I was having a little fun and locked Skul out so he was sitting on the window ledge for an hour while I stared at him, then I opened the window and he fell!" Valkyrie said between laughter. "You should have seen it! Come on up; the doors unlocked. You too, Skul." Val said as she saw Skulduggery's…'face.' She was getting better at reading his body language.

"We will be with you in a few moments!" Tanith shouted up, grabbing Skulduggery by the arm and pulling him inside. They entered Skulduggery's apartment to find Val sitting on the sofa and Skulduggery's hat cello-taped to the ceiling fan which was spinning impossibly fast.

"I thought I would practice my magic whilst I was waiting." Val said as Skulduggery dropped a load of water on Val's head before grabbing his hat of the fan.

_~30 minutes later~_

Tanith was sitting next to Val on the sofa with Skulduggery and Ghastly, who had arrived 10 minutes after Tanith, opposite them.

"Anyone want some coffee or tea?" Tanith asked, looking at Val and Ghastly.

"Yes please, coffee; two sugars and one of the biscuits on the top shelf. Thanks," Val said, not taking her eyes of Skulduggery's hat.

"I'll help you. Best to leave before Val tries anything to get that damn hat," Ghastly replied walking into the kitchen with Tanith just behind him.

"Ummm, Val? I need to tell you something," Skulduggery mumbled, barely audible.

"The great Skulduggery Pleasant, stuttering!? I never thought I would see the day! I need to tell you something as well. You first." Val replied, not breaking eye contact with the hat.

"Well, I don't know how to put this…but Val I" Skulduggery started to say.

"I love you Skul." Val interrupted, turning bright red and staring at the wall.

"I love you too Val. I have ever since our last case, I never realised it until now." Skulduggery said, feeling like he could open up now he knew Val felt the same. Just then Tanith and Ghastly walked back into the room. Ghastly putting his phone away.

"You two have a case. Group of rogue vampires spotted near Dublin, and seeing as you're the only two to have killed vampires and survived – you have to go," Ghastly said, grabbing his coat. "I have to get to the sanctuary to deal with Erskine. It seems he went walk-about and none of his paper work was done. That man is useless!" Ghastly said, as all four of them walked out the door.

"I'll go to the gym and annoy the other girls with my physique," Tanith decided, a devilish grin spreading across her face. Val and Skulduggery got into the Bentley as the others left the drive and went their separate ways.

_~1 hour later~_

"So, do you really love me? As in like really-really or is this a Skulduggery Pleasant joke that has no humour?" Val asked, looking at Skulduggery.

"I really do love you. I promise and I never break my promises! Now… Vampires, why is it always vampires?" Skulduggery replied, turning into a parking space.

"Probably because they love us so much, they want to see our beautiful faces," Val joked, following Skulduggery into the park.

"Shhhh. I hear them," Skulduggery whispered to Val.

"Yes, and they see us so it's a bit late to tell me to be quiet. Now, you take the three on the left and I shall take the other three," Val muttered as they sprang into action.

_~30 minutes later~_

"Don't worry, Skul. I'm sure Doctor Nye can fix all 206 of your bones. Look, the van has arrived," Val said comforting Skulduggery, who was muttering about the immense agony he was in, "Oh, and they brought Ghastly. Just our luck…" Val muttered as Ghastly jumped out of the van and stormed over to them.

"HOW COULD YOU BE SO IRRESPONSIBLE AS TO GET ALL OF YOUR BONES BROKEN!? HOW DID YOU, ANYWAY?" Ghastly asked, causing Val to jump.

"Well, we were fighting the vampires, as we were told to do, when another ten appeared and attacked me and Skul. They broke all his bones, but did nothing to me, oddly," Val explained, "We should probably get him to the sanctuary Ghastly; he really is in pain," Val reminded Ghastly.

Ghastly picked Skulduggery up, whose broken bones were still being held together. He put Skulduggery in the back of the van and looked around to see Val staggering after him.

"Val, are you sure they didn't hurt you?" Ghastly asked, running towards her, a worried expression appearing on his face.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure. I'm just tired that's all," Val murmured, collapsing to her knees, coughing. Blood landed on the ground a few centimetres from Ghastly's feet. He ran to her and saw the gaping wound in her back, grabbing her shoulders as she fell unconscious. Ghastly picked her up and placed her on her front in the van, and yelled at them to drive as quickly as possible to the sanctuary otherwise Val would die.

_~2 hours later~_

Skulduggery paced in front of the door to the surgery, ignoring Ghastly telling him to sit. Tanith sprinted down the hall and came to a stop in front of Skulduggery.

"How is she? Is she O.K.? Can I see her? How did it happen? Why are you out here?" Tanith asked, saying everything in under ten seconds.

"Here, have a seat. You're going to need it," Ghastly said as Tanith finished, "To answer your questions: Val's in critical; no one is allowed in as she is still in surgery; a vampire attacked her." Tanith burst out crying. Val was like a sister to Tanith. She couldn't imagine anything like this happening to her. Just then, Nye walked into the corridor and addressed everyone.

"She is still in a critical state and I am doing everything I can, however I have bad news."

Tanith started another round of sobbing, as Skulduggery and Ghastly stared at him, Skulduggery's fingers hovering over his gun.

"She was bitten by a vampire and I managed to remove the majority of the toxins, but some were left behind. I cannot remove them without killing her," Nye finished, turning around to see the barrel of Skulduggery's gun pointed at him.

"What does that mean? I mean, what does that mean to Val – is she now a vampire?" Skulduggery asked in a deathly quiet voice that screamed, 'say the wrong thing, and you're dead.'

"It means that now, she has some of the properties of vampires. She will be faster, and stronger, however will not turn into a vampire at night, if that is what you wanted to know. Now, if you don't mind, I need to check on my patient," Nye said as he walked back into the room.

_~30 minutes later~_

"She is now in a stable condition. She can have one visitor now and another in an hours' time," Nye said as he left the room to find Clarabelle.

"You go, Tanith. You deserve to see her first; she is your sister," Skulduggery said, sliding down the wall and slumping on the floor.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: Hello thank you soooo much to DeadGirl19 for reviewing and saying that she cnt wait for this chapter! Well here it is!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly the only character I own is Attalia Red (OC obviously) and the plot. The rest is owned by Derek Landy :'(**

Tanith walked into the room Val was sleeping in and sat down at her bedside.

"Oh Val. How did this happen to you? You were so strong, practically invincible. Don't worry I'm here, we all are, and we always will be. I promise!" Tanith whispered in Val's ear, letting tears stream down her cheeks and land on Val's face. Tanith rested her head on her arms and stayed like that for the rest of the hour.

Skulduggery opened the door quietly and tapped Tanith on the shoulder to let her know it was time for her to go.

"Don't worry, I will come get you and Ghastly if she changes, go sleep, you need it. I will sit with her." Skulduggery said to Tanith as she looked at the unconscious Val who looked like she was asleep. Tanith nodded and left grasping Ghastly's hand to help stop her from staying. Skulduggery sat down where Tanith was only a few minutes ago.

"Val, this is all my fault. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't be injured and worrying everyone. Heck even I'm worried. Please wake up Val, if not for Tanith your sister r for Ghastly who thinks of you as a daughter, then for me I love you and I will forever no matter what." Skulduggery said grasping Val's hand in his. He stayed like that for an hour until Ghastly came to relieve him of his position and to spend time with Val.

"Hey Val. Remember when we first met and I was furious with Skulduggery for bringing you into our world? I said you would be killed, and look that's nearly true. I never meant any of it, it's just that Skulduggery always hurts his partners in one way or another at some point and I didn't want that to happen to you. Please wake up, Tanith and I have important news to tell you. We are dating and I planned to propose tonight when we were all together, but I can't do that without you. Please Val, wake up we need your smiles and if anything your wit. Who else would defeat Skulduggery's ego?" Ghastly said making small talk. He sat there until Doctor Nye came back and had to do some tests to check Val's recovery.

_~5 hours later~_

Val groaned, her eyelids felt glued shut, and she remembered dreaming that her friends were asking her to wake up. She blinked, once… twice… finally her eyes opened. She looked around the room and saw a man sitting on the chair next to her bed watching her. He had deep sea green eyes with flecks of gold and tousled golden brown hair. He wore one of Skulduggery's impeccable suits, yet he wasn't a skeleton.

"Wh…who… are you?" Val croaked, her throat dry and coarse.

"Val your awake! Thank God! We were all so worried about you, apparently Ghastly was saying we needed your wit to defeat my ego! The nerve of him!" Skulduggery joked helping Val into a sitting position.

"Skulduggery? But… but…you're human! How?" Val asked, completely confused.

"I was going to wait till I had proposed to you but when it looked like you wouldn't wake up I went and had the surgery. I'll tell the others you're awake. Tanith has been a wreck ever since she found out." Skulduggery explained, pulling out his phone and texting Ghastly.

"How long was I asleep for?" Val asked.

"About 8 hours, we were about to back to the sanctuary when you collapsed with a massive hole in your back, you got it from the vampire attack. Anyway, I'm just glad you're awake." Skulduggery replied. They chatted like that unaware that Tanith and Ghastly were standing in the doorway.

"Val, you're awake!" Tanith screeched as she ran over and hugged Val gently, followed closely by Ghastly who did the same.

"I'm sorry I put you all through this. I should have been more careful. Now Ghastly I think you had something to ask Tanith?" Val replied, looking knowingly at Ghastly.

"Your right I do," Ghastly said getting down on one knee in front of Tanith and puling something out of his pocket. "Tanith Low, I have loved you ever since I laid eyes on you. Will you do me the honour of marrying me?" Ghastly asked, looking up at Tanith and showing her the ring which was thin silver with a red gemstone. Tanith looked shocked, her hands over her mouth.

"Ghastly, I… I… I… Y… Ye… Yes. Yes I will Ghastly." Tanith replied, holding her hand out as Ghastly slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her.

"Congratulations!" Skulduggery and Val said as Tanith and Ghastly broke apart and turned back to Val.

"I'm really happy for you two! I was starting to worry that you would never propose Ghastly!" Val said jokingly as she hugged Tanith again.

_~30 minutes later~_

They had been chatting about nothing in particular for the past half an hour, occasionally stopping to let Val drink and eat.

"I'm feeling much better now thanks to you guys. Thank you for staying and chatting!" Val said as she yawned deeply. Ghastly's phone started to ring as she finished.

"Oh God. Its Erskine, what does he want now?" Ghastly muttered leaving the room to answer the call. Tanith stood up, hugging Val again.

"I'd better get home, it's getting late and I've had a tiring day. See you in the morning Val," Tanith said as she walked out the door. "Stay safe!" Tanith called as she and Ghastly started to walk away.

Doctor Nye walked in and ushered Skulduggery out so that he could run some more tests on Val. Skulduggery walked out reluctantly to stand in the corridor. He called goodbye to Tanith and Ghastly who had almost vanished around the corner, when a massive crash sounded from the room Val and Nye were in.

"What was that?" Tanith and Ghastly shouted running to Skulduggery whose head had whipped round to stare at the closed door. Another crash resounded throughout the corridor coming from Val's room. Skulduggery burst in to find Val huddled in the corner coughing blood and Nye slumped against one wall. Tanith rushed forwards towards Val to be stopped short by an invisible barrier about a metre around Val.

"Val, Val are you OK? Talk to me Val, are you all right?" Skulduggery said his voice showing more and more concern with each cough from Val.

"Sh… She… She's sa… saving me. She's going to save me." Val murmered between coughs, occasionaly wiping the blood from around her mouth.

"Who? Who is Val? Talk to me please. Whats happening?" Ghastly replied as he checked Doctor Nye was OK.

"Attalia Red. She's here telling me what to do. I'll see you soon, I have to go away for a while. I love you Skulduggery, goodbye…" Val replied staring at a spot directly infront of her. Skulduggery rushed forward just as Val rippled into thin air.

"Val? Val where are you?" Skulduggery shouted staring around the room.

"She told you. She's been saved, but don't worry I will look after her. I know all about you Skulduggery Pleasant do not forget." Replied a girl standing just behind Skulduggery. She had short red hair and bright emerald green eyes, Skulduggery span around to her.

"Who are you? What have you done with Val?" Skulduggery demanded, advancing towards the girl with Tanith behind him giving the girl a murderous stare.

"I am Attalia. You should remember me, you too Ghastly. After all we used to be the best of friends." Attalia replied. A look of recognition crossed Ghastly's face and Skuduggery stopped staring at Attalia with a scared expression on his face.

"No. No. NO. YOU CANT! SHE'LL DIE! PLEASE BRING HER BACK! I ALREADY LOST HER ONCE I CANT LOSE HER AGAIN! PLEASE DON'T PUT ME THROUGH THIS AGAIN!" Skulduggery screamed collapsing to his knees.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: Hello thank you soooo much to everyone for reviewing and saying that you needed this chapter! Sorry it's so short but here it is!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly the only character I own is Attalia Red (OC obviously) and the plot. The rest is owned by Derek Landy :'(**

_Val's pov_

I opened my eyes slowly what had happened? The last thing I remembered was Doctor Nye running more tests. So how did I get here? Where was here? It was cold and dark, and smelled of animals. I blinked slowly hoping it was a dream and that I would wake up with Skulduggery next to me and Tanith and Ghastly at the foot of the bed.

I opened my eyes again to see a faint light moving towards me, its flickering cast gruesome shadows on the wall, and it came into view as a candle being held by a girl whose hair, which was bright red, was in a tight bun. She came to a stop in front of me and looked at me with her emerald green eyes.

"Valkyrie, we need to get you dressed and out of the stables into the house now." She said, when I showed no signs of recognition she said "My name is Attalia Red, I saved you and you are now in the school's stables. I think you should really get dressed and come with me now." Attalia huffed, clearly annoyed that I wasn't moving.

"Ummm, ok? But where am I?" I asked deciding not to move until I had answers.

"I will tell you all when you get dressed, so until then you shall just have to freeze in the stables." Attalia replied holding the clothes out to me.

_~5 minutes later~_

I was dressed in a deep black dress with beige trousers underneath, Attalia had put my hair into a very intricate bun that didn't fall out no matter how much I moved my head.

"Now I want my answers. Where am I?" I asked acing up the boots that came to my knee.

"Well Valkyrie. Val," she corrected when I stared at her "You are at the school for magic, it is a boarding school for orphans." Attalia replied sounding very proud that she had said it correctly.

"Well where is it then? I'm sure Skul would have mentioned if there was one of these somewhere!" I replied curious as to why I was there.

"Well that's because it didn't exist in your time. We are in 1618." Attalia replied in a matter of fact way.

_Skulduggery's pov_

Ghastly rushed over to me, Tanith shocked that I was such a wreck. I was kneeling on the ground crying my eyes out that Val had been sent back there, Ghastly didn't know what had happened to her then but I did, I couldn't let her be put through that!

"Skulduggery, Skulduggery talk to me. What happens to Val?" Ghastly asked shaking me by the shoulders to get some sense into me.

"Remember the school?" I asked Ghastly unsure of what Ghastly's reaction would be to its mention.

"Yes, you know I do. It's where I met you and….. Attalia and her sister Val." Ghastly replied growing cold.

"The school burnt down with Attalia, Val and I inside you went back to save us but was only able to get me out. You tried going back for the girls but that's when you got scarred." I replied standing up and walking out the door, I felt detached from everything. Nothing looked familiar, all I could see was the fire…


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note: Hello thank you soooo much to everyone for reviewing sorry it's late but I have been having writers block and didn't know what to write next.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly the only character I own is Attalia Red (OC obviously) and the plot. The rest is owned by Derek Landy :'(**

_Val's pov_

I stepped back in shock almost tripping over the uneven ground.

"Wh… where?!" I whispered unable to comprehend what she had said to me.

"What I just said 1618, Skulduggery is 18, the same age as you I believe. Now let me show you the grounds." Attalia replied seemingly unfazed by what was happening. She linked her arm with mine and started walking with me out of the stables and into the grounds.

"Well those were the stables, every person has their own horse you will choose yours later this week. This is the main lawn here you have your summer classes most days and you are also allowed out here after classes and at night, but only with express permission from a member of staff. That is the grounds, now if you would like to follow me into the house." Attalia said giving me a few seconds to take in the grand building before me, before pulling me up the steps.

"Why am I here?" I asked keeping my voice low in case someone was nearby.

"Because I brought you here I will tell you more later when I have shown you to your room. Now this is the entrance hall, the classrooms are down there" Attalia said indicating a hallway at the back of the hall. "Through there is the dining room where you have all of your meals unless a teacher says otherwise, there is the ballroom where we hold our balls and other social events." Attalia kept saying indicating at different doors around the hall. "Now up here," She said walking up the staircase, "are the bedrooms, you will be on your own until another girl arrives to share with you. The boys bedrooms are on the left and the girls are on the right. No entering the boy's hallways unless with a member of staff, the same rule applies to boys in the girls corridors. That is the shared bathroom, there is one at either end of the hallway. This is your room," She said opening the door showing a bare room with only 2 chests of drawers, a washstand and two single beds at either end of the room. In the centre of the far wall was a window showing a gorgeous view of the grounds, including the pond at the far end. "I shall leave you to get settled and then I will be back in half an hour, do not go wondering just yet, your clothes are already put away for you. Formal outfits are kept in my office, your everyday dresses are in the top draw and fighting gear is in the second, any personal belongings go in the bottom draw. See you in half an hour." Attalia said shutting the door and walking down the hallway.

_Skulduggery's pov_

I got into the Bentley and drove to my apartment, unsure of what to do now that Val wasn't there to distract me. Just then I turned the Bentley around and drove to my special place, not knowing where else to go that wouldn't give me painful memories of Val. Ten minutes later I was outside the wood, I had only ever driven past it and never actually been into it so I think I should be fine here… I started walking into the trees not caring where I ended up.

_Valkyrie's pov_

Half an hour later Attalia came back to bring me to her office. A few minutes later I was sitting in front of her desk on a wooden chair with a high back that dug uncomfortably into my shoulders.

"Now Val, whilst you're here you will be my sister. Our father died when I was 10 and you had only just been born, mother died one week ago. You came here because we are the only family we have left. I moved away when I was 18, you cried for days and I came to visit you every other week until I become a governess here at the school, when I was 20. Now your lesson schedule is here," Attalia said sliding a piece of paper over to me, "You are in the same lessons as Skulduggery, Saracen and Dexter. I hope you will make friends with people, I have someone coming along in 15 minutes to take you to dinner and to your lessons. So until then, how has mother been since I left?" Attalia asked seamlessly changing the subject as though she has had practice at it before.

"Umm, well she was distraught at the beginning but then she calmed down." I replied unsure of what to say.

"Val, you need the practice about talking about our family otherwise when people ask why you are here they will start to suspect, particularly when they find out you are my younger sister. Now let's try it again. How has Mother been since I left?" Attalia said a hint of exasperation creeping into her voice.

"Well she was very distraught when you left, no one was expecting it. However when you started to come back to visit she slowly understood why you had left, and then when you stopped visiting she was calm. The only time she cried was on your birthday. Mother stopped celebrating mine when you stopped visiting, she was always creating excuses for example 'I'm too tired today' or 'maybe next year' on my tenth birthday she completely ignored me and when she did talk to me she snapped." I was on the verge of tears, I never knew how easy it was to get attached to people who didn't exist.

"I am so very sorry to hear that, well I shall make it up to you on Saturday we shall have a picnic on the lawn with cakes and scones, you can even bring any friends you have made if you would like, would you like that?" Attalia asked true sincerity showing in her face and voice.

"I would like that very much thank you sissy." I replied shocked at where the nickname had come from, just then a knock came from the door.

"Yes you may come in," Attalia said as the door opened revealing Skulduggery. I could tell it was him from the deep sea green eyes with flecks of gold and tousled golden brown hair and the way he cocked his head to the side when he was thinking. "Ah Skulduggery this is the new student I was telling you about. My little sister, Valkyrie Cain, she is in all your classes. I trust you to escort her to meals and to lessons and to help her when it is required. Sissy I will see you in combat training. Goodbye." Attalia said hugging me gently as Skulduggery opened the door for me.

_~30 minutes later~_

"I never knew my sissy, I mean Attalia, taught combat training." I said to Skulduggery still shocked that someone like her was a fighter. She was like a delicate glass bird, only her eyes showed the fire I associated with combat.

"Really well I suppose you wouldn't you've been living with your mother all these years Attalia has been here. She is a very fierce fighter, she is the only one that can train against me because apparently the other students are too scared to take me on." Skulduggery joked cocking his head to the side in thought.

"I would love to fight you at some point, I am curious to see whether this fighting gene that is in Attalia runs in the family. See Mother never let me use my magic or fight, she wanted me to be a lady unlike Attalia." I realised that in my head I had memories of my life before coming to the school, with Attalia and I playing in the garden and mother teaching me to sew and scolding me when I used my magic.

"Well you won't have to wait long to fight me, we have combat training this afternoon. Now it is lunch time, so if you would do me the honour of allowing me to escort you to lunch?" Skulduggery asked offering his arm for mine to take, I accepted and a few minutes later we were walking into the dining room together.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: Hello thank you soooo much to everyone for reviewing I'm so happy people have actually read it and are following this story! So sorry it's so long but I wanted to put this and the fight scene in one chapter**

**Disclaimer: Sadly the only character I own is Attalia Red (OC obviously) and the plot. The rest is owned by Derek Landy :'(**

_~Val's POV~_

I sat down at a table with Skulduggery who explained that his friends were a little eccentric and overwhelming when you first met them. A few minutes later someone sat down opposite Skulduggery a few spaces from me, he looked like Ghastly but that couldn't have been possible as he had no scars.

"Ghastly this is Valkyrie Cain, Attalia's sister. This Valkyrie is Ghastly Bespoke he is the tailor's son but benefits from the education the school provides during term time and goes home during holidays." Skulduggery said, introducing Ghastly to me. My face must have showed how shocked I was at a Ghastly with no scars because Skulduggery asked what was wrong when he finished.

"I... I'm fine. I just need some air, I shall be right back." I replied standing up and hurrying out of the dining room and out the front doors and didn't stop until I was hidden in the first few trees at the edge of the lawn. I was about to leave the trees when I heard Skulduggery a few metres away.

"Dexter, Saracen, have you seen a girl run this way? Black hair, brown eyes?" Skulduggery asked his voice showing genuine concern.

"Nope, no idea what your talking about. Why? Did you reject her advances?" Dexter started to say before Saracen interrupted him.

"Mature guys. Really mature, no she's new and I don't want her to get hurt." Skulduggery said striding off around the side of the school.

I felt faint, as though I was dreaming and about to wake up. My knees started to go weak, darkness started to fill my vision. I was full of anger and sadness at the fact that I had been brought here and saw my friends who didn't recognise me. I turned from the school and ran further into the trees, being weighed down by my dress. I crumpled to the grass my legs unable to take any more weight and fainted.

I sat up blinking sleep out of my eyes, I was back in Skulduggery's apartment, how had that happened? Was that all really a dream? I stood up, the blanket that was around my legs falling to the floor. I heard a noise from in the kitchen so went towards it, I walked in to find Skulduggery, with his skin back, making coffee for me.

"Thanks Skul. How long was I asleep for?" I asked taking the cup off the worktop and taking a long sip.

"About 3 hours, why was it a good dream? I thought about waking you up because Tanith wanted to come over but you looked so peaceful I let you sleep." Skulduggery replied walking over to me, putting his hat on the counter as he did so.

"No, more of a nightmare than anything else. I dreamt that I had been bitten by a vampire and was nearly killed, but then a teleporter took me back to 1618 and you, Ghastly, Dexter and Saracen were all there but you were all 18 so had no memories of me." I started crying unable to forget the look on Skulduggery's face when he met me the first time, one of non-recognition. Skulduggery came up behind me and put his arms around my waist, pulling me into his chest, this felt right somehow. As though that was where I belonged, in Skulduggery's arms.

"Don't worry you're awake now and I will always remember you!" Skulduggery reassured resting his chin on the top of my head. "Now, I'm going upstairs quickly to grab something and then I will be right back. Promise." He said as he took his arms from around my waist.

He disappeared up the stairs just as I felt something grab my shoulder and press something cold and sharp against my throat.

"Make any sound or movement and I will slit your throat. Got it?" The voice whispered.

"Val, are you OK? It's gone very quiet." Skulduggery called from upstairs.

The knife pressed against my throat again as if to say, let him know your OK.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just wondering what you're doing." I replied trying to see who was holding the knife to my throat and if there was a way to stop them.

"I'm coming in now." Skulduggery said standing just out of view of the doorway. He stepped into the room and saw the knife to my throat and dropped what he was holding. A ring with a red diamond skull fell onto the floor, Skulduggery looked at me with fear in his eyes. A bag has shoved over his head and he was knocked out. He woke up a few minutes later tied to a chair with magic-blocking handcuffs on his wrists and ankles.

"Now that everyone's comfortable, I can start." Said a voice from the shadows, it sounded familiar. A foot appeared in the light closely followed by a person, that person was China. She held a knife in her hand and was as comfortable with it as if it were a paintbrush. "I put a spell on you two so that whatever pain I inflict on one of you the other will feel as well. A very fine invention that I think, makes torture so much faster." She said giving a small smile at the end.

She walked over to me and slowly traced a line along my forearm with the tip of the knife causing blood to drip down my arm the same as Skulduggery's. China moved to my other arm and did the same but this time cutting even deeper, I screamed with pain so did Skulduggery. China walked over to Skulduggery and plunged the knife into his stomach, the pain was unbearable now. I blacked out to the sound of my own screams and China's laughter.

I could hear something around me, it sounded like laughter. I cringed back from the sound too scared to open my eyes in case China was standing there waiting for me to wake up. The sound faded leaving someone calling my name.

"Valkyrie. Valkyrie are you all right? Valkyrie wake up, open your eyes." Skulduggery said to me as the feeling returned to my legs.

"What happened? What are you doing here?" I asked confused as to why I was back in the forest with Skulduggery bending over me.

"You rushed out of lunch and I came to find you as I was worried that something might happen to you and I found you a few minutes ago unconscious here. What happened to you?" Skulduggery asked concerned that I was possibly injured.

"Well I came out and I entered the tree line, I heard you talking to two people and then it all got a bit too much for me, so I ran and then I passed out." I replied slowly sitting up and shaking the pins and needles from my arms as I did so.

"Well I'm just glad you're ok. Let's get you back to the house and Attalia can take care of you from there. I already sent her a signal saying I have found you injured so she will be waiting for us. Are you able to walk?" Skulduggery asked.

"Ummm, thank you Skulduggery. I think I might need to lean on your arm for a bit until I can stand on my own." I replied, allowing Skulduggery to pull me up.

Ten minutes later Attalia was rushing towards me down the front steps, a worried look on her face.

"Oh Valkyrie, are you alright? Sit down, you must sit down. Skulduggery can you get me a blanket please. Now Val, tell me everything that happened." Attalia said concern spreading across her face.

_~Skulduggery's POV~_

I was walking through the trees, no destination just following the path. I didn't know what to do, I had lost the only the only person that ever mattered to me. I kept remembering Val on our "dates" in the hospital, in truth they were only a takeaway between the two of us but I loved her even more because we were together. I was even about to propose after Ghastly had, that was why I had gotten my face back. For her. Now she'll never get to see it again in this time…

_~Val's POV~_

Ten minutes later I had finished telling Attalia what had happened and was going to my room to get changed for combat training. I had pleaded with Attalia to let me, I wanted to see if I could finally beat Skulduggery! The clothes were tight fitting almost accentuating my curves (not that I had any!) they were a nice light brown and consisted of a pair of trousers and a white light cotton vest. They reminded me of the clothes Skulduggery had made me train in back in 2015, I shook away the memory, it wouldn't do me any good in a fight.

Attalia came to take me to the training room which was huge. It had high vaulted ceilings and a wooden floor, it looked like a grand ballroom. Maybe that's what it was at some point? Skulduggery saw me and came over leaving his friends by the wall.

"Are you sure you're well enough to train Valkyrie?" Skulduggery asked guiding me in the opposite direction of his friends.

"Of course I'm fine. Did you really think I'd bail out on a fight with you?" I replied spinning round to face him.

"I had actually quite forgotten, are you an elemental, adept or necromancer?" He asked. I didn't know what to say, should I tell him that I use both necromancy and elemental as I haven't had my surge yet or do I just say elemental?

"I am an elemental but I also know necromancy as I haven't had my surge yet." That seemed like the most logical thing to say. I looked at Skulduggery, he was shocked…

"What? What's the matter?" I asked moving us further away from other people.

"You know necromancy! Only people chosen by the necromancers learn that and then they are forced to learn only necromancy or so we think. Do not tell anybody under any circumstances that you know both. It will bring a whole load of trouble if you do. What do you use to control it?" Skulduggery whispered, leaning into me so much that I could smell cream and sweat coming off of him.

"I use a ring but it's in a safe place in my room. No one will find it. Now shall we get to fighting?" I replied sending him a smirk as I started stretching.


End file.
